Puzzle.



F. E. MOSS.

' PUZZLE.

{Applicaton led June 8, 1900.)

(No Model.)

PVITNESSES;

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. TTB STATES ATTENT Tracie..

FRANK E. MOSS, OF COLLEGE CORNER, OHIO.

PUZZLE."

SPEGLECATION forming? part 0f Letters Patent NO. 668,386, dated February 19, 1901.

l Application filed .Tune 8, 1900. Serial No. 19.562. LND model.)

To a/ZZ wil/0m, t may concern.-

Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Puzzle; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates particularly to the class of puzzles in which blocks are placed upon a board and the puzzle solved by sliding the blocks to their proper positions.

One object is to provide a very entertaining and interesting puzzle of simple aud cheap construction, while at the same time requiring considerable patience and skill in solving, and thereby offering an incentive to the cultivation of patience and perseverance and the exercise of the mind in healthful pastime.

A further object is to provide a puzzle of this character which may be suitably employed for advertising purposes and which might thereby reach many who may not otherwise be disposed to specially seek such innocent means of amusement.

The invention consists in a receptacle comprising a square walled inclosure for supporting a series of sliding blocks and defining the limits in which the blocks may be moved and a series of blocks consisting of six square blocks and four oblong rectangular blocks, each equal in superficial area to two of the square blocks, the top of the wall or ledge and the upper faces of the blocks being suitably marked or identified, so as to indicate their proper relative positions when in use.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan View of my invention, illustrating the movable blocks in suitable positions for beginning to solve the puzzle; Fig. 2, a plan viewshowing the blocks in the positions they should occupy when the puzzle shall have been solved; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the puzzleboard or receptacle for the blocks; Fig. 4, a perspective view of one of the square blocks; Fig. 5, a perspective view of one of the oblong blocks, and Fig. 6 a vertical transverse sectional view of the board. Similar letters of reference in the several figures of the drawings designate like parts.

In construction I provide a board A, havinga plane upper surface of suitable area and any desired vertical thickness, the plan being preferably square. Upon the upper surface of the board I attach a substantially continuous ledge B, forming a wall rising above the upper surface of the board, the inner or opposing faces of the ledge being designed to inclose asqnare space o1' iield upon the board, the ledge thus comprising four straight sections, as at a b d e, joined at their ends. The outer sides of the ledges may be either straight or formed in any fanciful designs, as may also the edges of the board. The upper surfaces of the several sections of the ledge are suitably marked, preferably by the use of colors, so that each section is distinguished from the others. The board and the ledge may be composed of any suitable material, as wood or thick paper or strawboard, tarboard, or the like. In the drawings the various colors are represented by different styles of surface lining or shading. i The blocks C D E F and L N are each square in plan and substantially equal in area to one-sixteenth of the area of the space inclosed by the ledge B; but in order to permit the blocks to slide about they are in practice slightly smaller than the proportions mentioned. The 'blocks G H I J are each equal in superficial area to two of the square blocks and are oblong and rectangular, having a length equal to two of the square blocks and a Width one-half that of the length. Preferably the blocks are as thick vertically as the ledge. The oblong blocks are each marked differently from the others of like size, and the square blocks each have marks distinguishing one from the others. The two square blocks L N may be alike, but are marked differently from all the others. Then colors are employed for marking, the upper surfaces of one section of the ledge, one oblong block, and one-half of each of two square blocks, divided diagonally, should all be in one color, as indicated by a, Fig. 2, the color on the blocks matching in continuity that on IOO the ledge.

Likewise another oblong and. parts of two square blocks should. all have one color dilering from the others, as indicated by b, another oblong and parts of two square blocks, as indicated by d, should have one color differing from the others, and the remaining oblong block and parts of two of the square blocks should all have one.. color distinct from the others, as indicated by e. The color-lines should be planned, as shown l in Fig. 2, so that each corner-block, as C,

"white ground.

In practical vuse the board is placed in a horizontal position and the blocks may be placed upon the board as shown in Fig. 1, except that the two blocks L and N may be vanywhere in the central space, or the other blocks may be otherwise mixed, so that the colors thereon shall not match with .nor adjoin the colors on the ledge. Then the blocks are to be moved about in lines parallel to the ledge-sections Without taking any block from the boardnntil all the respective colors shall adjoin and match the colors or marks on the ledge-sections, as shown in Fig. 2, usually requiring fourteen moves to accomplish the'de'l sired result. Then, if desired,the blocks may be again moved until they assume the positions shown in Fig. l, or unmatched, in each case, when the puzzle shall have been solved, the blocks L and N remaining in the central space.

The blocks may be composed of any suitable material-such as wood or fibrous material pressed into form-or may be cut from such as strawboard or the like.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv A puzzle comprising a plane-surface receptacle having a square-field diagram inclosed by a raised ledge divided into sections by four distinct colors or markings on the upper surface thereof, four blocks each square in plan and havinga surface area equal to onesixteenth of the area of the square-field diagram and having double distinctive colors or markings thereon, four blocks each oblong rectangular in plan and having double the surface area of one of the square blocks and distinctive colors or markings thereon, and two blocks each square in plan and having a surface area equal to that of one of the firstdescribed blocks and colored or marked distinctively from the other square and oblong blocks described, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E. MOSS.

Witnesses:

C. W. GEORGE, LUCY DOUGLAS. 

